Play Science Institute
Learn. Play. Transform.
A professional learning event for community-based program directors, lead teachers, and early childhood educators — centering play as a powerful driver of equity, healing, and transformation.
Date
Saturday, September 19, 2026
Time
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Location
700 Pennsylvania Ave SE
Washington, DC 20003
Fully funded • 9 of 50 seats available
Institute begins in
Saturday, September 19, 2026 • 8:00 AM EDT • Washington, DC
Honoring the Legacy of
Maurice Sykes
The Play Science Institute originated with the vision of Maurice Sykes, who sought to disrupt inequitable play trajectories for children and to create a gathering where educators experience healing through play, engage with play research, apply knowledge to practice, and develop dispositions that shift mindset and behavior.
We recognize the importance of honoring and stewarding Maurice Sykes' legacy through this professional learning event.
Learn from the Best
Featured Presenters
Dr. Denisha Jones
Executive Director, Defending the Early Years • Founder & CEO, D. Jones Consultant
Dr. Denisha Jones is the Executive Director of Defending the Early Years and the Founder and CEO of D. Jones Consultant. She has over 20 years of experience as a professor of teacher education, preschool director, and kindergarten teacher. She offers keynotes, workshops, and communities of practice to support early childhood educators in fostering optimal whole-child development grounded in pedagogies of play, joy, and liberation. Her research on the teacher's role in play-led environments, global approaches to play, and fostering healthy identity in the early years informs her scholarship and consulting work. She has published numerous articles and book chapters and is an accessible and highly sought-after public speaker.
Carly Bedard, M.A.Ed.
Play Coach and Executive Director, Institute for Self Active Education • Founder, Prioritizing Play
Carly Bedard is a trainer, keynote speaker, and passionate advocate for play with over 26 years of experience in the field of early childhood. Her experience as a teacher, director, coach, and adjunct professor informs her engaging, research-based workshops. Carly is a Master Play Coach and Executive Director of the Institute for Self Active Education, founder of Prioritizing Play, serves on the board of the International Play Association USA, and is a lead facilitator for NAEYC's Play, Policy and Practice Interest Forum. Carly brings energy, expertise, and a deep belief in the transformative power of play to her work with educators, leaders, and families.
Kisha Reid
Educational Consultant & Play Advocate • Board Member, Defending the Early Years
Kisha Reid is an educational consultant and a tenacious advocate for developmentally appropriate, play-based education for young children. A 28-year veteran of the early childhood field, she continues to work actively in the classroom. Over the decades, she has collaborated with organizations including the Campaign for Commercial-Free Childhood and Explorations Early Learning, among many other initiatives, and she currently serves on the board of Defending the Early Years, an early childhood advocacy group.
Presented in Partnership With
Investing in play. Investing in our future.
Four Anchoring Themes
A meaningful professional learning experience across four interconnected areas.
Self-Active Play
Cultivating children's agency through joyful exploration.
The Science of Play
Exploring current research and its impact on early learning and development.
Visible Learning Through Play
Making learning visible through documentation and reflection.
Teacher as Researcher & Play Advocacy
Empowering educators to lead, advocate, and advance play for all.
Who Should Attend
This institute is designed for community-based:
Program Directors
Lead Teachers
Early Childhood Educators
A Note About Your Seat
Every seat is fully funded and reserved specifically for accepted participants. Accepted applicants are required to attend a 2-hour virtual orientation on Saturday, September 12 at 10 AM EST before the full-day in-person institute.
Stronger Together. Brighter Futures.
A partnership between DC Early Learning Collaborative and D. Jones Consultant, LLC